Drive or Fly: Red Bluff, CA to Los Angeles, CA?

Side-by-side comparison of driving versus flying for this route. Costs, time, and trade-offs at a glance.

Driving wins

Medium

No scheduled commercial flights found for RDD–HHR. At 513 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:
Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

9h 24m

Distance

513.3 mi

Total Cost

$149

CO2

207 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$114
Hotel (1 room, 0 nights) $0
Meals (1 pax, 1 day) $35
+ No luggage restrictions or TSA lines
+ Comfortable one-day drive
+ Stop anywhere along the route
+ Have your own car at the destination
Driver fatigue on longer stretches
Wear and tear on vehicle
Fuel price fluctuations
Plan the drive

Fly

Door to Door

3h 48m

57m in the air

Air Distance

477 mi

Total Cost

$194

CO2

122 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Red Bluff, CA → RDD 35m
Check-in & Security 90m
Flight 57m
Arrival & Baggage 30m
HHR → Los Angeles, CA 16m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $139) $139
Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Red Bluff, CA RDD — Redding Municipal Airport 23 mi, ~35m drive
Los Angeles, CA HHR — Jack Northrop Field Hawthorne Municipal Airport 10 mi, ~16m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between RDD and HHR. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Saves about 5h 36m compared to driving
+ Less physical fatigue
+ Predictable arrival time
Airport security and check-in overhead
No scheduled commercial flights found for this route
May need a rental car at destination
Luggage fees and restrictions
Less flexibility for stops along the way

At a Glance

Drive Fly
Door-to-door time 9h 24m 3h 48m
Total cost (1 person) $149 $194
Carbon footprint 207 kg CO2 122 kg CO2
Flexibility High Low
Luggage Unlimited Restricted
Reliability Weather dependent Data unavailable
Drive data: OSRM routing, EIA fuel prices
Flight data: Statistical estimate
Airports: OurAirports
Confidence: Medium — airports identified, fares estimated

Costs are estimates. Actual flight prices vary by airline, date, and booking time. Drive costs based on OSRM routing, EIA fuel prices. Computed Apr 12, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Red Bluff, CA to Los Angeles, CA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.